#19: The Golden Rest: A D&D 5e One-Shot for 2-3 Players Four retired adventurers. One misheard rumor. A whole lot of expired potions.
Ever had a friend swear they heard about an amazing treasure hoard, drag everyone across the kingdom, and it turns out to be a retirement home? This adventure is that—but with swords, hallucinations, and ancient trolls.
The Golden Rest is a comedic D&D 5e one-shot that pivots into genuine heroics. Four elderly adventurers—Bernard, Helga, Greg, and Doris—hear about "The Golden Chest," a legendary treasure vault in the mountains. They gear up for one last run. Problem: it's actually "The Golden Rest," a retirement community for former adventurers. Helga misheard.
Before entering, they drink Greg's old potions of strength. The potions are over a century expired. They work—sort of. The strength boost is real. So are the vivid hallucinations that make everything look like a dungeon full of threats.
What follows is unforgettable:
• "Guards" that are actually confused receptionists
• "Weapon caches" that are walkers and canes
• A "dark ritual" that's Wednesday night bingo
• A "boss fight" against the reigning arm-wrestling champion
Then the potions wear off. The party sees what they've actually done. Horror. Shame. A single bingo ball rolls across the floor.
But their rampage cracked open deep tunnels beneath the building. Ancient trolls—dormant for centuries—are climbing up. Now the party must fight back through the destruction they caused, protecting the residents from a genuine threat. They'll face Gorthak the Ancient, an elder troll who mirrors them perfectly: old, cranky, and just wanted to be left alone.
What's Inside This 86-Page Adventure:
Complete adventure for Level 3 characters, 2-3 hour runtime
4 fully detailed pre-generated characters with stat blocks and roleplay guides
6 detailed battle maps (lobby, common room, medical wing, bingo hall, and more)
Player handouts including the infamous treasure map and bingo cards
Complete stat blocks for all enemies: young trolls, troll elders, Gorthak the Ancient, a wheelchair mimic, and NPCs
Environmental hazard rules: steam jets, collapsing pillars, spreading fire
Scaling guidelines for 2, 3, or 4 players
DM guidance on balancing comedy, horror, and redemption
Designed for Small Groups: Built specifically for 2-3 players—no rebalancing required. Each pre-gen can be run by a single player or split between two. The adventure works whether you use the elderly characters provided or age up your own.
Perfect For:
• DMs who want comedy that earns its emotional payoff
• Tables tired of straightforward dungeon crawls
• One-shot nights and convention games
• Groups who appreciate tonal shifts done right
• Busy DMs who need session-ready content
The residents of The Golden Rest are retired adventurers themselves. They've been bored for decades. When the dust settles and the trolls fall, they don't hold grudges—they applaud. They GET IT.
One last adventure. One misheard rumor. One hell of a story to tell.
Read the Review: https://anvilnink.com/comedic-dnd-5e-one-shot-golden-rest/
Get the Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJSPKJ9Q/